It is with special thanks that we extend our sincere appreciation to all those who gave to the Adopt-A-Book campaign on Giving Tuesday (December 1) this year. Your generosity and support helped us to raise $12,600 for the ongoing digitization efforts of the library. Your contributions will help us as we continue to grow the digital presence of the APRL and provide greater and greater worldwide access to the resources of the library. We would also like to extend a special thanks to our three generous matching donors, among them Dr. Peter P. McCann and Bryan Lorber, who matched dollar for dollar the contributions given by everyone on Giving Tuesday.
These funds will assist with staffing needs as well as server, software and hardware requirements for digitizing materials to grow the library’s digital collections database, APRL Digital. In the immediate future your generous donations will jumpstart the upload of 34 complete journal runs currently in our queue for which we have received publishing permissions. Some of these journals need to be both digitized and uploaded to the database, while others are already digitized and only need to be uploaded.
Thank You to everyone who contributed to the Adopt-A-Book campaign on Giving Tuesday!
Want to contiune helping us? Consider making your donation an annual or monthly gift by consulting the Adopt-A-Book website or contacting the library at [email protected].
What is Adopt-A-Book?
The American Philatelic Research Library has one of the world’s largest and most accessible collections of philatelic literature. With nearly four miles of materials that comprise over 90,000 items including 23,000 book titles and 5,700 journal titles, the need to provide worldwide access to these materials has never been greater.
In keeping with this goal of accessibility, in 2017 the APRL created a digital collections database, APRL Digital, and began digitizing journals, books, maps, exhibits and photos from its collection. Currently the database contains over 500,000 pages of full-text searchable material which includes complete journal runs of the American Philatelist, the Philatelic Literature Review, Postal History Journal, Collectors Club Philatelist and the American Philatelic Congress Books among others, as well as digitized books, maps, exhibits, photos and even a movie or two.
As the APRL endeavors to provide worldwide access to an even greater number of its books, journals and other philatelic literature, the mission of digitization and access takes on an even greater priority. In order to support this digitization effort and grow the resources of APRL Digital we have initiated the Adopt-A-Book campaign to assist with funding for the further growth and development of the digital collections database.
Do you have a favorite philatelic book?
A publication that you consider a philatelic treasure?
Is there a special resource that is close to your heart?
A resource you would like to honor though your donation to Adopt-A-Book?
This Giving Tuesday (December 1) the APS is highlighting the Adopt-A-Book campaign for your support of the library’s digitization efforts. With your gift of $50 (or more) on Giving Tuesday, you will be able to select and “adopt” a favorite book or resource from the APRL collection. Your $50 donation will include a bookplate in your honor being affixed inside your "adopted" book or resource. The bookplate will acknowledge your support and generous contribution to the Adopt-A-Book campaign in helping to grow the library's digital collections. You will also receive a letter acknowledging your donation.
All donations to the Adopt-A-Book campaign on Giving Tuesday and thereafter will directly support the library’s continuing efforts to digitize the APRL collection and grow APRL Digital in order to provide worldwide access to its vast and unique resources.